


Black Coffee and Beginnings

by Mjazilem



Series: Cherry Coke and Coffee [2]
Category: Newsies - All Media Types, Newsies!: the Musical - Fierstein/Menken
Genre: Angst, Canon Disabled Character, College AU, Crushes, Drama, Family, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, M/M, Modern AU, PTSD, Reunions, meetings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-25
Updated: 2017-11-27
Packaged: 2019-01-23 06:20:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 11
Words: 17,229
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12500800
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mjazilem/pseuds/Mjazilem
Summary: “You can pull in here, I think this is about as close a parking spot as we'll get.” Crutchie grabs hold of his crutches and hopes the snow isn't piled up too bad on the curb.Crutchie opens the car door and Jack holds it open for him as he gets out.  Suddenly voice coming from behind startles Jack. “Look at you Jack Kelly, a gentleman and a scholar.”or Jack drives Crutchie home after they meet for the first time and is a little overwhelmed by everything.  Everyone has an opinion on why and what he should do about it. And then they all get coffee





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is the sequel to 'Cherry Coke and Chance' and will make better sense if you read that first. 
> 
> I loved the first story and so many readers commented saying they did too that I had to continue. I hope this is as satisfying. I needed reunions and meetings and fluffy angst all around. 
> 
> Thank you for reading

The wind is still whipping when they step out into the parking garage. Crutchie shivers even with his scarf and hat. He wishes briefly that he had some gloves and then dismisses the thought as he follows Jack. 

Jack points to an old black mustang from the nineties at the far end of the row. It's an old car but not what Crutchie would call a classic. 

“She's not much to look at, but she runs and the heater works.” Jack says as he unlocks the passenger side door and opens it for Crutchie. 

He moves to put his tool box and bag in the trunk. He watches Crutchie, trying not to hover but not wanting to go to far if the kid needed help. 

Crutchie is used to getting into a low car. Spot's got a 2003 Civic. 

He backs up to the doorway and lowers himself onto the seat careful to avoid hitting his head. He takes his crutches and slides them in around him to lean on the seat. Then he brings his good leg in and as he shifts around in the seat to face forward he takes his bad leg in hand and lifts it in. It's a well practiced motion. 

Crutchie leans back out and grabs the door to shut it. Jack gets in, turns the car on and cranks the heater up. “So where am I going?” 

“This side of Chinatown.” Crutchie instructs, his hands between his knees as he tries to warm them up. 

“Ok I can do that.” Jack knows it's about a fifteen minute drive from the school. 

They pull out of the parking garage and Crutchie appricates that Jack seems to be a safe driver. He uses his blinker and checks his blind spot before changing lanes. 

Spot can be a little less caustious. 

They don't get far before they hit bumper to bumper traffic even off the main drag. “Man, traffic sucks this time of year.” Jack laments.

“Isn't there always traffic here?” Crutchie's pretty sure there's always traffic. 

“Yeah, but it gets worse in the winter.” 

“Everybody wants to come to New York. It's romantic I guess, seeing the city all decorated for the holidays. And the snow.” Crutchie's seen the tourists and the tour buses throughout the city. 

“Yeah well I don't get it, sure the snow looks nice for like maybe an hour after it's fallen but soon enough it's nothing but a gray slushy mess. I'd rather stay at home and enjoy my own decorations. Then you don't gotta fight the traffic and the people...What's this guy doing?” Jack has to hit the break when a man steps off the curb in front of them. Luckily they weren't going fast. “Get on the sidewalk ya nitwit.” 

“Haha yeah I could do without the dummies but I do like the all the lights and the window displays, it makes it feel like Christmas.” If the cold didn't make his leg hurt he'd consider winter one of his favorite seasons. 

“You know what I want to see... one of those Christmas card snows, ya know like with the cabin and the pine trees and the only thing disturbing the snow is one baby deer that's walked through the scene.”

“Have you ever been out of the city?” Crutchie looks over at Jack as he drives. 

“Yeah, Miss Medda she took me upstate to a small town bed and breakfast thing over spring break last year and in high school we went to Long Island a few times in the summer. How about you?”

Crutchie thinks about it. “hhuum... a couple of field trips, I went and saw the Statue of Liberty...” 

“I guess that's out of the city.” Jack concedes but only cause it's on a separate island of it's own. 

“And I went to the Bronx Zoo once. That was neat.” Crutchie remembers the trip fondly. The penguins were his favorite. 

Jack shakes his head. “That doesn't count, that's a borough, it's still the city.”

“But it's not Manhattan.” Crutchie defends. 

“umm yeah ok I guess.” Jack can't say much, he's not even been out of the state. “Me I'm gonna go and see the whole country. After graduation next year, I'm going on a road trip, I've got it all planned out. I'm gonna drive West and see everything, the Grand Canon, and the desert and the worlds biggest ball of twine.”

“Why the biggest ball of twine?” Crutchie questions thinking that's a silly thing to want to see. 

“Why not?” Jack glances over at his passenger with a smile. “It's out there and I wants to see it all.” 

“There's lots to see here in New York.” 

“Yeah, there is... I just been here my whole life and I really just wanna see someplace else, some wide open spaces for once and... and I wouldn't mind going somewhere where it didn't snow.” 

“Yeeaahh, that would be nice.” Crutchie agrees. 

“Do you have a drivers licence?”

“Who me?” Crutchie say like he can't believe the question. “I don't know about me driven'. Spot keeps saying he'll teach me. But I don't know that I'll be any good at it.” 

“I don't see why you's couldn't drive, might be awkward iffin you have to use your left foot for the pedals but I'm sure there's people out there who do it, I'm sure it would just take some getting used to.”

“Yeah, maybe.” Crutchie imagines it, him driving, not having to be on anyone else's schedule, not worrying about missing the bus or getting shoved in the tight packed subway train. 

“And once you can drive you can go anywhere.” 

“Yeah...” Crutchie shakes his head as if he's waking up from a dream and grabs hold of his crutches. He doesn't feel so enthusiastic about it. He doesn't know how possible 'anywhere' is for him. “Hum, turn right up ahead.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm writing fast and editing on the fly, let me know if there are glaring errors.

“You can pull in here, I think this is about as close a parking spot as we'll get.” and the snow doesn't look piled up too bad. 

Jack puts the car in park a block away from where Crutchie says his apartment building is. He's suddenly nervous. Jack hasn't felt this nervous in a while, usually it's pretty easy for him to ask for someone's number. 

“You wanna exchange numbers, so I can like text you...” Jack rubs at the back of his neck. “if ya know I get that info from Katherine about what classes she took.”

“Yeah, yeah I'd like that.” Crutchie glad Jack asked so he didn't have to. 

Jack fumbles with his phone not sure if he should hand it to Crutchie for him to put his own number in or what. He settles for opening a new contact and typing in what Crutchie tells him. Jack types it in with just a C in the name slot. 

He then texts Crutch. 'Hi' and Crutchie adds him to his contacts “Got it.”

“Cool cool.” 

Crutchie unbuckles and shifts his crutches to open the door. Jack gets out of the car and comes around to the passenger side. He wants to make sure Crutchie can get out alright. The snow's piled up a bit on the curb and there might be ice. 

Crutchie opens the door and Jack holds it open for him. Crutchie swings his legs out, brings the crutches out and puts them in front of him ready to go when he stands then he gets to the edge of his seat leans forward and stands up with his good leg, using the crutches to pull himself up and balance. 

He's up and out of the car but a little blocked in by the snowdrift. “There's a clearer space just down a little.” Jack suggests. 

Crutchie moves down the length of the car crutches held close in front of him in the tight space between the car and the curb and the snow.

Jack closes the car door and trudges through the piled snow to try and stay by Crutchie's side when a voice comes from behind and startles him. “Look at you Jack Kelly, a gentleman and a scholar.” 

Jack turns around and sees Racetrack Higgins coming down the sidewalk, hands shoved in his pocket and just a sweater on. “What are you doing out here Race?” Jack asks lamely. 

Race takes the cigar out of his mouth. “Ahhh they won't let me smoke in the apartment.”

Race moves to Crutchie's other side and holds his arm out incase he needs to offer support as Crutchie get his crutches on the sidewalk where the drift isn't so high and hops past the majority of the snow. 

“No way are you smoking where I breath... with my lungs.” Crutchie says as they all come to stand on the sidewalk. 

“Yeah yeah I know, I know's.” Race puts his hands up in mock surrender and then gestures dramatically to Jack. “This I can't believe,” Race turns to Jack and claps him on the shoulder. “You look real good Jack. Definitely not dead.”

“Yeah, you too Race.” Jack puts a hand on Race's shoulder and pulls him in for a hug. 

They're quiet for a second. Hugging on the street like long lost brothers, emotions high. When they break apart Race keeps his hand on Jack's shoulder. 

“You, you doing alright Race?” Jack asks wanting to know everything but not sure how to ask. 

“Yeah you know me Jack, if things don't land in my favor I's just try again tomorrow.” Race smiles to himself. “and I got this kid keeping me on the straight and narrow.” He waves his cigar in Crutchie's direction. 

Jack can't help but notice that Crutchie's smiling that way that seems to brighten everything up around him. Even the gray street they're on. 

“That's got to be a tough job.” Jack teases the boys standing off to the side. 

“Someone's got to do it.” Crutchie shakes his head in exaggerated exasperation. 

Race tries not to laugh at the exchange between his two friends. The two of them must have clicked this afternoon, he can't wait to hear all about it. 

“Hey, lets not stand out here in the cold. You want ta come in,” Race gestures down the block to their apartment building. “I know we's got a frozen pizza we can make.”

It is an innocent question and a nice offer. Jack would like to say 'sure.' But his mouth suddenly feels dry and it's hard to swallow. His heart starts to beat faster. “I...I can't, I just remembered I gotta fella I got ta meet.” He makes up an excuse. 

“I didn't realize you had something to do,” Crutchie says apologetically. “I didn't mean to take up your time.” 

“No no, it's nothing, no big, you didn't do nothing. I just I should get going.” Jack gets his keys out of his pocket. “Hum, say hi to Spot for me, will ya...” He turns and nearly trips as the snow makes him misjudge where the edge of the curb is. 

Jack looks back and waves once before he gets in his car and pulls away. Crutchie and Race are left on the sidewalk watching him go. 

“Do you think he's alright?” Crutchie asks not quite sure what Jack's hasty exit was all about. 

“Yeah, I think so.” Race says with a note of understanding in his voice. 

******** 

Jack let's himself into the apartment. “Medda, I'm home!”

He knows she's home cause there's lights on and music playing softly. Medda comes out of her office. “I wasn't expecting you home this soon, Sweetheart. Did they close the art building early and kick you out?” He had told her he was going to be in the paint studio until ten. 

“Nah some things happened and my plans changed.” Jack puts his bag and paint box down by the door. He drags his feet as he steps into the room. “How was your day? How did rehearsal go?”

“The Governor's Holiday Show has officially had it's first dress rehearsal, I think we're ready to go.” Medda says excitedly. It was one of the biggest charity shows of the year and Medda had been a apart of it for the last four. It was always great fun and Jack loved seeing her so happy. 

“I'm glad to hear that. I know you'll be great.” Jack says sincerely. Medda holds out her arms for him, sensing he needs a hug. He lets her hug him and he hugs her back tightly. It's a long hug and Medda breaks it first. 

“Are you alright dear? What happened today?” She asks concerned. 

“I'm fine, today just went in a direction I never expected.” 

She studies his face and can't quite read his expression with all the different emotions in his eyes. “You're being an enigma wrapped up in a mystery Jack Kelly, why don't you sit and tell me what happened.” 

She directs him to the kitchen and makes hot chocolate while Jack sits at the counter and tells her all about his afternoon, helping Crutchie and seeing Race for the first time nearly six years. 

Medda nods as he finishes his story. “You've had quite a day, full of surprises. It must have been very exciting and a bit overwhelming.”

“Yeah, I just don't know what to do now.” He resting his head on his hand. 

“Follow your heart. You've got a good one Jack, you'll know what to do. And you know what I always say, people come into our lives for a reason.” 

“I know you're right.”

“Sleep on it tonight Jack. Just relax, you're on break and you're home with Medda now.” 

********

Spot gets home from work around eight. Race and Crutchie are on the couch locked in an epic game of Mario Kart on Race's GameCube. 

“There's some slices in the oven for you, you might need to nuke it.” Crutchie calls over his shoulder. 

He hears a grunt and then some clinking and clanging from behind him as Spot grabs dinner. 

The microwave dings and Spot, plate in hand, can of soda in his pocket, climbs over the back of the couch and plops down between his roommates. “Who's in the lead'?”

“I am!” Race says not letting his eyes leave the screen. 

“Not for long you're not!” Crutchie counters. 

“Don't you do it!” Race chances a glaces over at Crutchie who raises his eyebrow at him. 

“Do what?” He asks innocently.

“Don't you throw that turtle shell!” Race leans forward as if that will help his character go faster. 

Crutchie throws the turtle shell with an evil laugh. “Maw ha ha” 

Race's Luigi crashes spectacularly and Crutchie's Yoshi slides across the finish line. Race groans and Crutchie raises his hands triumphantly. 

“Best eight out of ten?” Race asks getting ready to reset the game. 

“I don't think tonight's your night Race.” Crutchie says slyly. “But we can go again if you wants.” 

Spot distracts them before they can start. “Hey Char, you doing alright?” He asks with his mouth full but his eyes focused on Crutchie's right leg propped up on a pillow on the coffee table in front of him. 

The guys, particularly Spot, will call him variations of his real name sometime, especially when they're being serious. 

Crutchie rubs at his sore leg. “Yeah I'm ok, s'just the cold, ya know...” 

“And the fact you walked up four flights of stairs today.” Race blabs and Crutchie shoots him a death glare.

“Where'd you...” Spot starts to ask and then realizes. “at the school?” Spot looks at Crutchie. “Are you sure you's ok? Do you need anything?”

Crutchie shakes his head, he doesn't need anything at the moment except to teach Race a lesson in how not to fall off the rainbow bridge. 

The guys are used to him having bad days every once in awhile after knowing him for years. Crutchie appreciates, most of the time, their concern and willingness to help him out. 

“I'm fine just tired.” and he is, it was a lot more stairs than he goes up and down in a day... probably more than he goes up in a month. As a result he's tired and sore. 

“Ok, but why'd ya climb all them stairs?” Spot asks confused. 

Crutchie hesitates. He knows that if he says 'cause I wanted to climb them' Spot won't say anything cause it was his choice 'so whatever' but it wasn't exactly Crutchie's first choice today... 

Race jumps in when Crutchie doesn't answer “Cause the elevator was broke.” 

Crutchie's shots another death glare at Race. 

Spot looks at Race and gets very quiet, a serious expression on his face. He sets the slice he was eating back on his plate, he sets his plate on the coffee table in front of him and then turns to Crutchie. “Who do you want me to soak?” 

“What, no...” Crutchie throws his hands up “No one.” His voice gets high with alarm. 

Race snorts and shoves Spot “Who ya gonna beat up, the janitor, the Chair of the Art Department, the President of the College?”

Race laughs but Spot doesn't. “Look, all I know is that someone wronged my boy and now he's hurten' and someone deserves to get soaked for that.” 

Crutchie tries to shift in his seat to better explain to Spot why punching someone over this wouldn't be the best course of action but there's a twinge in his leg when he does that makes him wince. 

Spot quiets when he sees Crutchie's face. “Why didn't you call me,” He asks his voice loosing it's boisterousness. “I coulda told somebody to cover for me and come back to help ya.” 

Crutchie breaths out slow and opens his eyes as the pain subsides. “I was gonna wait for yous but...” 

“But he got help, eeeehhhhh... this is the best part. Tell him Crutch, tell him who helped ya. You's ain't never gonna believe it Spot.” Race shakes Spot's shoulder excitedly and Spot brushes him off.

“I can believe a lot, but looking at Crutchie here I don't know that I believe anyone helped 'em.” 

“I told you I'm ok and I am...” Crutchie says seriously. “and he did help, he carried the camera up for me.” Crutchie knows if he'd attempted to carry it he'd be feeling a lot worse right now. 

“You gotta tell him who Crutch!” Race moves to sit on the coffee table so he can better see Spot's reaction. 

“Geez, what in the world, who was it the Pope or somethin'?” Spot asks. 

“Better!” Race squeaks. 

Crutchie bites his lip and then smiles wide as his eyes light up. “Jack Kelly.” 

Spot's eyes get wide and then narrow and he looks from Crutchie to Race who's grinning like a fool back to Crutchie. 

“Jack Kelly, as in Jack 'Down with the Man' Kelly.” 

“Yeeahhh.” Race nods enthusiastically. 

“How did... where did... Jack, really?” Spot can't believe what he's hearing. 

“Yeah, it was Jack Kelly, we were talking and the Lodging house came up and he was just as surprised as I was.” Crutchie explains. 

“Do you have proof you was talking to the real Jack Kelly and not some imposter.” Spot's eyebrows furrow. 

Race rolls his eyes. “Cause they's people going around impersonating twenty-something orphans for the fun of it.”

“I don't know.” Spot shrugs. “I thought Jack was dead.”

Race shakes his head. “He was here, he drove Crutchie home, I talked to him. It was him.” 

“He was here and you didn't like sit on him or somethin' till I got back!?” 

“We invited him in but he couldn't stay.” Crutchie says disappointingly. 

“He didn't want to stay.” Race states so both Spot and Crutchie know. 

“He said he had to meet someone...” Crutchie looks confused. Race shakes his head at Crutchie's naivete. 

“He got spooked, kid.”

Crutchie's expression falls. “not, not because of me...” Crutchie looks even more disappointed. 

Race shakes his head adamantly. “Cause you was making heart eyes at him? No I'm pretty sure he was maken 'em right back.” It was hard to miss the way Jack was smiling at Crutchie. 

“He was...” Crutchie's cheeks get pink. 

“He didn't stay cause he's got stuff to deal with. I seen a look like that on guys' faces before... when they first get back from the Refuge.” Race explains and Spot nods knowingly.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jack, Davey and Katherine have lunch

Katherine and Davey let themselves into Jack and Medda's apartment at lunch time. Jack is still in his sweats and t-shirt.

“Who wants a grill cheese?” Davey asks throwing his coat on the rack and heading for the kitchen, he knows where everything is in Medda's kitchen so he starts to pull out the bread and butter.

Jack sits on a stool at the kitchen counter and puts his head down on the counter.

“What's up Jack?” Katherine takes her scarf off and hangs it on the coat rack.

“My brain hurts...” Jack whines.

Davey looks up from the refrigerator. “Do you have a headache? Did you take something?”

“no, no... just thinking about stuff.”

“Thinking about what?” Katherine leans on the counter. “Your next project?” She's just a little too perky. Jack groans.

“School's out you don't have ta think about anything.” Davey gets the frying pan out of the cabinet.

“Did you get that backdrop done for Medda?” Katherine knows he was concerned about that and finals.

“Yeah got that done last week.” Jack sits up.

“We got cheddar or America, who wants what?” Davey holds the cheese up.

“American.” Katherine chooses.

“Yeah American.” Jack agrees.

“Ok sounds good.”

Jack rubs his hands across his face.

“Soooo what's up?” Katherine jumps on the stool next Jack and slides close.

“Yesterday, I was hanging out in the art building, right, just messing around in the studio and I went down to the vending machine to grab a coke and then I met a guy...” Jack starts his story.

“Ohhh a guy... was he cute?” Katherine wiggles in her seat, eager for the gossip.

“It wasn't like that, but yeah, he was cute.” Jack smiles thinking about Crutchie's hazel eyes and the cute way he scrunched up his nose.

“Well, who was he? What happened.” Davey waves the spatula.

“He's a sophomore who was returning a camera to the film department and the elevator was out and he's on crutches and I helped him get the camera up the stairs... the thing is though, we got talking and I found out he was... he was at the same boy's home I was, he got there right after I was sent to the Refuge and he's actually the roommate of a couple of the guys I was good friends with.”

“No way...” Davey turns from the stove to look at Jack. Jack nods.

“Jack, that's amazing!” Katherine exclaims. “What are the chances you'd go to get a soda and connect with someone like that. It's a small world. Wow, that would make a great story! You should write it down.”

“Yeah, well I choked.” Jack continues. “I offered to drive Crutchie home.”

“What?” Davey asks.

“Jack!” Katherine sounds offended.

Jack blinks confused as to why they'd be upset about his driving a guy home and then he realizes “That's how he introduced himself, tha's his name... I drove Crutchie home and then I was there and Race was there.”

“Race?” Davey just looks perplexed now.

“Crutchie's roommate.”

“Oh his name is Race?” Davey flips the sandwich in the pan.

“Yeah...”

“Race from the Refuge...” Katherine guesses. Jack shakes his head.

“No, well he was in the Refuge at one point, but no Race from the Lodging house. Anyway we were outside their apartment building and he was there and Crutchie was and they invited me in and I panicked... I just couldn't...” Jack looks distraught and lays his head back down on the counter.

“It's ok Jack.” Katherine pats his shoulder.

“That's rough.” Davey commiserates. He puts sandwiches down in front of Jack and Katherine. Katherine get up and get drinks for them.

“But why?” Jack asks. “Why was it so tough? What would you guys have done? I bet it would'da been no problem for you to go with them Kath, I choked... they probably think I'm a freak or something.”

Katherine puts a glass in front of Jack. “So what about it made you panic?”

Jack groans. “I don't know, they was real nice. Talking to Race on the phone was pretty ok but when I stood there in front of him I had all these things in my head like what if I'm not who he remembers, what if he's different and then they invited me in and all I could picture was their apartment being...” Jack closes his eye. “Being a row of bunks and footlockers.”

Davey shakes his head as he pulls up a stool to sit across from Jack. “I'm sure they have furniture Jack. It might be college furniture like milk crates and beanbag chairs but probably not rows of bunks.”

“No, I know that, I just kept picturing bunks like at the Lodging house or... or the Refuge, I just couldn't get it out of my head. And Crutchie, he smiled so big at me, but he had patched holes in his coat and no gloves. Race wasn't even wearing a coat. What if those guys ain't got nothing.”

“Don't have anything...” Davey corrects.

“Uuuuugh.” Jack rolls his eyes. “We never had much and in the Refuge we had less and I just... felt guilty, I guess.” Jack gestures around at his home, Medda's nice warm apartment, with its high ceilings, carpeted rooms and stocked kitchen.

“Jack it's ok.” Katherine puts her hand on his shoulder. “I'm sure they're doing ok. They have an apartment they must be doing ok.” She tries to sound confident but without all the facts she can't quite pull it off.

Jack looks her in the eye. “They don't got anyone looking out for them.”

“They've stuck together,” Davey offers. “They've got each other.”

Jack knows that's true, he's glad to know that Race and Spot had stayed together and that they were looking out for Crutchie. He still can't help but think 'They should have had me looking out for them too.'

Katherine suddenly snaps her fingers, an idea had struck. “Why don't you invite them out Jack?”

“Yeah, what about asking them out to coffee that's a pretty neutral, and doesn't cost much.” Davey reasoned.

“That's not a bad idea.” Jack agrees. “Will you guys come if I suggest Jacobi's tomorrow afternoon?”

“Yeah Jack totally!”

“Absolutely, I've got no plans.”

Jack get his phone out. “So what... what do I say?”

“Just ask if he and the other guys would like to hang out.” Katherine finishes one half her sandwich.

Jack pulls out his phone and starts typing...

 

Jack: hi Crutchie or do you spell it Crutchy? Sorry I forgot to ask. Oh hum this is Jack. but you know that right. I'm going to be hanging out at Jacobi's near campus tomorrow with Davey and Katherine. Why don't you and the fellas come and hang out with us and you can talk to Katherine and my pal Davey is a cool guy and we could just hang. Do you know Jacobi's by campus? It's a good place to hang out. We'll probably be there hanging all afternoon. I was thinking about being there around one.

 

“Geez what are you writing a book?” Katherine nudges him.

Jack hits send and then cringes. “No, but I think I just wrote 'hang' like twenty times, he's gonna think I'm a moron.”

“At least you're giving him a heads up.” Katherine jokes.

Jack holds his hand over his heart and mocks being wounded by her words. She sticks her tongue out at him.

Jack starts to pick up his sandwich but sets it down to check his phone and then checks again for a reply. Finally the phone buzzes. Jack jumps.

 

Crutchie: Hi Jack! Crutch with an 'ie' is the way I spell it. Coffee at Jacobi's 1:00 tomorrow, Me, Spot and Race and You, Kath and Davey. I'll have to ask the guys and have them check their schedules but yeah I know the place, I should be able to make it. Sounds good

Jack: great :)

Crutchie: See you tomorrow

 

Jack smiles at his phone.

“Wow, someone's got a crush.” Katherine teases him.

“I can't help it.” 

“Hu uh, I bet.”

“He's handsome and he's got spirit.”

“So... your type.” Davey points out.

“Maybe.” Jack admits.

“HU uh.” Katherine smiles knowingly.

Jack sighs and takes a bite of his grill cheese. He makes a face, it's gone cold while he left it sitting to text. He gets up and sticks it in the microwave. He'll eat lots of things but not cold cheese sandwiches.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Crutchie's morning. *now edited

Crutchie gets up early. Earlier than the other guys. Earlier than he really needs to except he wants to get up before Spot and Race.

His leg's still hurting. He doesn't want them to notice that he's still as sore as he is.

He puts on the high tops he always keeps by his bed. He grabs his crutches and as quietly as he can so as not the disturb the other fellas he leaves the still dark room.

It's cold in the hallway. The heat is on, he can hear the pipes hissing and clanking. He stops outside the bedroom door and pulls a sweater on then moves down the hall to the kitchen.

Half asleep still, he goes slow testing how his bad leg feels. He can straighten it a little more than yesterday but lifting it and putting any weight on it hurts more than usual. As a result his foot drags more than he would like.

In the kitchen he sticks a box of Frosted Mini Wheats under his arm and heads to the couch. He picks up the book he left on the coffee table last night, gets a hand full of cereal and stretches out on the couch.

He gets through about half a chapter before before his eyes start to droop and the book feels too heavy to hold up. He lets it drop to his chest and closes his eyes. He sleeps until voices wake him up.

“Hey I was in here first!” Spot's loud words from the bathroom carry across the small apartment.

“Yeah but I just got called in to cover a shift, another holiday seasonal quit and I've got to catch the train in like ten minutes!” Race says, half his words muffled by the towel he's drying his face with.

Crutchie rubs his eyes and blinks the sleep out of them. He looks around and checks the time on his phone. It's eight and it sounds like the guys both have places to be.

“Alright, Alight” Spot grumbles as he takes his toothbrush and toothpaste to the kitchen sink.

“Morning.” Crutchie says turning around on couch and propping himself up on the armrest so he can see their little kitchen.

“Hey, there are you kid...” Spot says around his toothbrush. “What, couldn't you sleep?” He spits and rinses out the sink.

“Something like that.” Crutchie yawns.

He picks the cereal box up off the floor and grabs a handful. Spot turns up his nose. “Do you want like a bowl and some milk with that?”

“No, I'm good.” Crutchie munches happily.

Race comes out of the bathroom toothbrush hanging from his mouth, one shoe on. “Any of you's seen my shoe?”

Spot points to the TV and sure enough the other shoe is next to the trunk they've got the TV on.

Race pulls the shoe on hopping around the living room. “I'm gonna be late... geez they knows I gotta commute couldn't they give a guy a little more notice.”

Crutchie holds out he cereal box and Race shoves a handful of the cereal in his pocket and hands his toothbrush to Spot who sticks it in a cup by the kitchen sink with his.

“See you guys later. Don't wait up.” Race winks as he grabs his coat.

Crutchie pops up from where he'd been laying over the armrest. “Wait, are you coming by Jacobi's this afternoon?”

Race shrugs and pulls his hat on. “I'll try Crutch.”

“It sounded like they'd be there awhile this afternoon...” Crutchie bites his lip he was hoping he wouldn't have to go by himself.

“I'll do my best. See yous.” Spot claps Race on the shoulder and Race is out the door.

Crutchie rests his chin in his arms on the armrest, thinking. He can do this. He can go and see Jack... Jack Kelly. The Jack Kelly and his friends. His friend who is his professor's daughter. Crutchie stares at the door as nerves start to set in.

Nerves about all that and then just about meeting new people. Over the years he's gotten lots of different reactions from people. They see the crutches and the way his leg is sometimes bent funny and some stare, some ask personal questions, some think he's helpless.

He always winds up wondering before meeting new people if they'll pity him, will they be willing to help him if he needs it, will they think he's contagious? That's the worst, when rude ass people act like he's got some kind of disease they can catch.

“You're thinking hard. You want some orange juice?” Spot gets the carton out of the fridge.

“Huumm Yeah, Please.” Crutchie pushes himself up and picks his crutches up from the floor. He limps to the kitchen where Spot sets a glass for him on the counter.

“So what time did Jack tell you he was going for coffee?” Spot watches Crutchie walk from the couch to the kitchen.

“One.”

“I'm on for lunch and dinner prep at the restaurant so till like three, if you wanted to wait, I could drive you's.” Spot offers, keys in hand.

Crutchie shakes his head. “I'm gonna take the bus, it's right by Campus so it's no big deal.”

“Well, if you're sure.” Spot grabs his coat. “Be careful out there, it's cold and the sidewalks might still be slick.”

Crutchie leans against the counter and slides his his glass of juice back and forth, fidgeting. “You aren't...”

“Telling you anything you don't know, yeah I know. Call me if you need anything.”

“Thanks Spot.”

“I'll try and meet you... and Jack at that coffee place, either way I'll see ya later Crutchie.”

The apartment is quiet again after Spot leaves. Crutchie goes back to the couch, props his leg up and tries to read but he can't seem to focus on his book.

His mind keeps wondering back to Jack. He keeps wondering what will happen when he sees Jack today. Crutchie puts a pillow over his face and groans.

What if he gets to the coffee shop and he can't say anything right. Crutchie can picture like fifty ways the whole thing could go terribly wrong including the very real possibility he spills coffee on himself, or spills it on Jack or on some rando, it's happened before. Carrying drinks and things and using crutches, especially when his bad leg is having a bad day, doesn't work really well.

He just can't help but have butterflies in his stomach about this, this is Jack Kelly. Crutchie's two best friends have been talking about Jack for years like he was some kind of legend. All the kids who were at the Lodging house before Crutchie did. It's weird getting to meet someone who you've heard so much about it felt like you already knew them.

But he doesn't. He's spent a couple hours with Jack, he really doesn't know him. He hopes Jack is as nice as he seemed the other day, as nice as he heard for all those years.

He wants to make a good impression.

Crutchie makes a list in his head... he needs to shower. He can probably get away without shaving for at least one more day.

He needs to find something to wear. He does actually have something in mind. He's just nervous because he's not sure exactly how Jack will react, but he's got to be himself, right.

He needs to catch the 12:32 bus to get to the coffee shop around one to meet Jack and his friends.

********

Jack, Katherine and Davey grab the big table when they get to Jacobi's at 1:00. None of the fella are there when they get there, when they get their drinks or when they sit down.

Jack watches the door. Glancing up every time it opens.

“You told them we'd be hanging out for a while, they'll show up.” Katherine reassures him.

An hour passes and Jack lets himself get really into what he's doing in his sketchbook. He's focused on drawing when Katherine pokes him and nods to the door at a boy with crutches who's just come in.


	5. Chapter 5

Crutchie should have texted but for most of the last hour his fingers have been too cold to operate the touch screen of his phone and even if they'd warmed up he didn't know what to say. 

Nothing has gone right since Crutchie started to get ready this morning. He had thought he had plenty of time to get to Jacobi's, that he be early even, now he's an hour late and he's trying to figure out what to say by way of an apology.

When he went to shower all the hot water was gone and there was no way he could get a cold shower and function so he had to wait for the water to heat up again. 

When he'd finally gotten ready and was heading out the door, he almost tripped over Mrs. Navi's, from apartment 205, chihuahua. The poor thing was shivering in the hallway. It had it's leash which made Crutchie nervous that something had happened to Mrs. Navi so he had led the dog up to the second floor on the elevator. Mrs. Navi didn't answer her door, So Crutchie took the dog up to the third floor. There he found Mrs. Navi and Mr. Denison talking in the hall and he was able to return 'little chip chip.' 

Outside the apartment building the wind was brutal and there was snow and snowballs flying. Some of the neighborhood kids had decided to turn the sidewalk into a war zone. Crutchie kept his head down and tried to get through no man's land. He wound up with slush down the side of his scarf and hitting his bare hand. He cringed and shivered and kept moving. 

He couldn't move fast as he might when the weather was nice, just like Spot had suggested the sidewalks were slick. His crutches gripped pretty well but his boots didn't, the old tread is really worn out on them, which made dodging snowballs pretty precarious. So he had to make every step deliberate and as a result he missed the bus. 

There was another one that came twenty minutes later. But Crutchie had stepped back from the bus stop to try and get some shelter from the wind. That meant when the bus rolled up and stopped half a block away from the actual bus stop to avoid the snowdrift the door had opened and closed before Crutchie could even raise a hand to try and get the driver's attention.

He's tired and his leg is protesting being out in the cold when he finally makes it to the coffee shop. 

The warmth inside is comforting when he finally steps over the threshold. 

He sees Jack stand from his seat and the nervous feeling in his stomach comes back with a vengance. 

“Hey Crutchie!” Jack crosses the floor and meets Crutchie half way. He doesn't see anyone else with the kid though. “Are Race and Spot coming?” 

Crutchie tries to smile, tries to be confident but he feels like his expression must look more nervous and unsure than anything. “Hum Race got called in to cover for someone and Spot has a shift till three at the restaurant.” He sees Jack's expression darken just a bit. “They both said they'd try to get here, if that's ok.”

“Yeah yeah of course...” Jack tries to shake the disappointed feeling but he can't help but wonder if the guys didn't come because they didn't want to see him. “It's great to see you kid.” Jack says sincerely if shyly. “How's your break going so far.”

“All one and a half days of it, pretty good I guess, actually played some video games and caught up on some reading... just chilled, it's been nice.” 

“We're over there.” Jack points and Katherine and Davey who are watching curiously and wave when Crutchie looks in their direction. 

“What are you drinking?” Jack asks as the line they've sort of just fallen into gets one customer closer to the counter. 

“Oh right, hum,” Crutchie looks up at the menu and starts to pull out his wallet. 

Jack pulls out his wallet faster. “I'll get it, what are you having, coffee, hot chocolate, tea?” 

“No, you don't have to...” 

Jack shrugs off his protests. “Don't worry about it, I asked you to come out you're my guest so it's my treat.”

“I...” Crutchie blinks and feels his face starting to blush, he's terrible when he has a crush, he can't be cool to save his life. 

“no really... what are you having?” Jack smiles truly at the cute befuddled boy as they step up to the counter. 

Crutchie makes his decision and tells the barista “Small coffee, please.” 

“Milk, Sugar?” The girl asks typing the order into the register. 

Crutchie shakes his head. “Black.”

Jack hands over the cash to the girl. “Really, black? What is that, a journalism thing, Katherine takes her's black with espresso.” Jack cringes, his artistic soul likes the idea of black coffee but his taste buds don't. 

“I only drink it black if it's real good coffee. It's good here.” Crutchie explains and they move down to the pick up counter. 

“Well you do got that right.”

“Thanks, hum, thanks for the coffee.” Crutchie says to the barista and to Jack as his order is set down in front of him. 

Crutchie starts to shift his crutches to one hand so he'll have a free hand to carry the cup, but thinks better of it. Todays not a good day to try and put weight on his leg. He looks Jack to ask if he'd help when Jack asks him. 

“Can I? hum... take that to the table for you?” Jack offers not sure how Crutchie will feel about the help. 

Crutchie sighs with relief, “thanks.” 

“Don't worry about it.” Jack takes it and leads Crutchie back to their table. 

Katherine is turned all the way around in her seat and grinning as she watches Jack and Crutchie join them. 

“Crutchie this is Katherine and on the end is Davey, guys this is Crutchie.” Jack introduces everyone quickly and sits Crutchie's coffee down in front of a chair on the end next to his. 

“Good to meet you.” Davey says closing the book he's been reading. 

“Very nice to meet you” Katherine leans forward and rests her chin on her hands, waiting like an eager child. 

“You too.” Crutchie squints a bit confused by her reaction but chuckles. He leans his crutches on the table and shrugs off his jacket revealing his vintage Garfield 'just hanging out' t-shirt. 

“OH my god I love your shirt.” Katherine gushes. “I had a Garfield lunch box in like kindergarten, it said 'I hate Mondays' ahhhh I loved that lunch box.” 

“Haha, I wore it cause I thought it was appropriate.” Crutchie gets a mischievous look on his face as he moves his scarf to make sure Jack can see what it reads. “Cause we's just 'Hanging Out.'” 

Katherine squeals “Ahhh cause Jack, and his text.” 

Jack shakes his head and groans. “Not you too.” 

“I like him Jack, he's funny.” Katherine giggles. 

“Alright, Alright, I think the espresso is kicking in Ace.” 

Crutchie drapes his coat on the back of the chair, takes his phone, notebook and pen out of his pockets and sits down. 

“I had a Superman lunch box.” Davey adds, a little late to the conversation. 

Jack pulls out his chair and takes his seat. “Of course you's did.” Davey always likes superheros like Superman and Captain America. Jack prefers Batman, Hawkeye, and he liked the new Bucky Barnes Winter Soldier. 

“That's cool. I always wanted a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle lunch box.” Crutchie says simply. 

“Oh yeah? you never got it?” Katherine doodles in the margins of the notebook page open in front of her. 

“I never had a lunch box.” Crutchie shrugs like it's no big deal. 

Davey seems to think it is a big deal. “You neve'a had a lunch box? What kind a kid never had a lunch box?”

Crutchie starts “I got state lunch...” and Jack jumps.

“I never had no lunch box neither.” He relates. 

“Never had a lunch box either...” Davey corrects and Katherine swats at his arm and shushes him. 

“Got a lot of brown bag lunches.” Jack shakes his head, he's trying to explain their shared situation to Davey but he's not looking at anyone but Crutchie. “A lot of cold cheese sandwiches.” 

Crutchie laughs softly and agrees “yeeahh...” 

Jack is struck by how Crutchie's eyes crinkle and his mouth pulls into a lopsided smile. It's endearing and Jack feels himself relaxing.


	6. Chapter 6

Davey sets down his mocha. “So... hum Crutchie, we heard you had some trouble at the art building the other day. Have you thought about contacting an ADA lawyer, my family knows a lawyer who might be interested...” 

Crutchie rests his cold hands around his hot coffee cup. “No, I...I called the Dean of Student's office and let them know what's going on. They said the elevator will be up and running by the time students get back.” 

“That's good, good that you did that...not that you should have had to...” Davey says awkwardly. 

“Yeah, sadly not uncommon though. It's like people just don't think. I saw a post online recently where a user named grace talked about an incident at another school where a class had to protest because an elevator wasn't getting fixed and a student in a wheelchair couldn't get to class for two weeks. That's just nuts.” 

“That's terrible.” Davey makes a disgusted face. He has strong feelings about accessibility, he's seen his dad struggle with it over the years and he hates to see people who violate disability laws get away with it. 

Jack shakes his head

“We could protest!” Katherine exclaims gesturing excitedly with her pen. 

“Hopefully, it won't come to that. If it ever does, I'll know who to call.” Crutchie looks to Katherine who nods enthusiastically. 

“Oh yes do. I'm always ready to protest.” 

“That's true, she's always got poster board on hand.” Jack knows it, Katherine has dragged him to a couple of protests over the past year. 

Crutchie laughs, “got to love a good sign.” 

“Like 'Drop Acid not Bombs'” Davey smiles as he remembers being amused by that one from history class. 

“Ha, yeah a 1960s classic, like 'Hell no don't GO!'” Crutchie says and then adds a but shyly. “Actually my favorite sign I've seen recently is 'Respect Existence or Expect Resistance.'” 

Jack thinks about ones he's seen. “I like 'The Only minority destroying America is the Rich.'” 

“What about 'My Outrage can't fit on this sign.'” Katherine smiles. “or oh oh did you see the girls dressed as suffragettes with 'Same Shit different Century.'” 

“That was great!” Crutchie agrees. 

“It was really clever.” Jack leans in and takes a drink of his caramel macchiato. 

“Yeah it was. I did a report on the coverage of the Woman's March, there were lots of really clever signs.” Crutchie thought it was an interesting topic Professor Pulitzer wasn't so thrilled. 

Katherine grimaces as if she can sense what Crutchie's thinking “eehhh, how did that go over? Jack told us you had a class with my father this semester.” 

Crutchie knew this conversation was coming still he felt a bit unsure about it. “Oh hum yeah, he was... he was real informative.”

“Ohhh, you don't have to be polite around me I know he's an ass.” Katherine says flat out and Jack snorts amused. 

Crutchie's a bit shocked but pleasantly surprised. “I, I really did learn a lot, he definitely knows a lot about reporting but hum yeah he's kinda an ass.” 

“That's an understatement.” Jack says under his breath and Davey hums in agreement. 

“So who are you taking next semester?” Katherine asks and takes another sip of her coffee. 

“Hearse for 102 and Sund for Public Relations.”

“Excellent, they're both good. if Sund likes you, she's a great sponsor for Independent Study.”

“Independent Study? Is that part of the requirements?” Crutchie doesn't remember his class advisor mentioning that. 

Katherine shakes her head. “Independent Study is how I got around taking Broadcast Journalism, and Editing with my father. I argued that they wouldn't fit into my schedule and Sund signed the paperwork and bam I didn't have to take Daddy's classes.” 

“Ohhh I get it.” Crutchie says excitedly and makes a note in his notebook. 

“Smart.” Jack nods approvingly. 

“You just gotta make sure you do the assignments and really do study the subject.” Davey points out seriously. 

“Of Course.” Katherine didn't mean to make it sound like a way to get out of the work. 

“I'll keep that in mind.” Crutchie nods. “So, hum Katherine, you're a senior right... what's your focus?” 

“OH, Investigative Journalism! My father hates it. He thinks I should have focused on broadcast, well I'm more than just a pretty face.” She points adamantly at her chest. 

“yeah... me too.” Crutchie smiles behind his cup. 

“Yeah you are...” Jack sighs under his breath. 

Crutchie tilts his head unsure if he heard Jack right. 

Jack clears his throat awkwardly “Oh hum, so uhh, you're thinking about investigative journalism too Crutchie?” 

“Ha yeah, I'd like too. But Professor Pulitzer made it seem like it wouldn't be a possibility for me... because of the my leg. I'm not sure what to do.” Crutchie's eyebrows furrow, the disappointed look on his face makes Jack want to punch Pulitzer in the eye. 

“Hey, don't let him discourage you...” Katherine speaks up. She can't stand the way her father treats new students. If he doesn't think a student can make it based on some arbitrary, archaic set of rules in his head than he berates them until they give up. “There'll be other professors. The department has some really good ones.” 

“Some will get it, tell anyone who doesn't to take a hike.” Jack grumbles as he presses his pencil point angrily into his sketchbook page.

Davey perks up. “I had a professor who was the worst. He thought that statistics were like always perfect representations of the real world, like they're the end all be all and He never took into account the Simpsons Paradox. I mean really, just because the graph goes up doesn't mean that if the numbers were extrapolated they would always be going up. I had to tell him more than once that his data was flawed, it was a terrible semester.”

Crutchie blinks, a little unsure “uh yeah, that would, that would suck...” 

Jack laughs. “Yeah don't worry about it, I don't know what he's talking about either.” Jack's pencil moves quickly across the page of his sketchbook. “I recall that semester, that was a mess, Davey actually went to the department Chair to explain the situation.” 

“How did that work out?” Crutchie asks. Everyone's reactions are interesting. 

“Fine, we came to an understanding.” Davey looks down and Jack shakes his head. 

Katherine scrunchies up her nose and looks awkward. “The guy was an adjunct instructor, Davey got him fired.” 

“I, I wasn't trying to.” Davey holds up his hands defensively. 

“It's ok Davey.” Jack says. 

“He needed to study some more before he taught anybody else anyway.” Davey defends himself, though he obviously feels bad about it. 

Crutchie's phone buzzes on the table as the others try to reassure Davey that everything probably worked out for the best for the poor adjunct. 

Race: You still Out? 

Crutchie: Still at Jacobi's with Jack and his friends

Race: Is everybody cool

Crutchie: Yeah cool so far

Race: Ok I'll see you in ten 

Jack sees Crutchie smile at his phone. “What's up?”

“Just Race, looks like he might make it after all.” 

As Jack and Crutchie talk excitedly together and Davey leans over to Katherine “What are you writing?”

“You know me, I can't help myself.” Katherine, ever the investigator, looks down at the notes she's taken.

Crutchie   
-Real name: unknown   
-looks younger than he is  
-blond hair, green eyes ?   
-Uses crutches b/c Injury? Birth defect?   
-Coffee: Black!!  
-Good sense of humor :)  
-Smiles at Jack... <3 <3 Jack smiles at him   
<3 sooooo cute

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So Race is coming... What does he drink? tea? Coffee? 20 ounce Unicorn Frapp? Thanks to Everyone Who reads and all the commenters, You keep me motivated for sure, especially as this gets longer.


	7. Chapter 7

Race steps into Jacobi's and pulls the door closed behind him. Looking around it doesn't take long to locate Crutchie and Jack. They are laughing at a table in the back with a couple other kids.

Race walks over and puts a hand on the backs of Jack and Crutchie's chair and leans between them. “Hey Fellas.”

“Hiya Race!” Race claps Crutchie on the back.

“Hey, man.” Jack shuts his sketchbook as Race leans over his shoulder. He doesn't like anyone looking at it unless he's got something to specifically show them. “Race this is Davey and Katherine, guys this is Race.”

Race nods at the others and asks the group “What's going on?”

“We're discussing how everyone would rank the Star Wars movies.” Davey explains.

“Ok...”Race thinks for a second. Crutchie smirks up at him. “just saga movies or including the extended Star Wars universe? Because Rogue One was Awesome.” This is a discussion Race could get into.

“That's what I'm saying, but Davey's a purist.” Jack waves his pencil in Davey's direction.

“I can't wait for the Han Solo solo film,” Crutchie sighs. “got to love a scruffy scoundrel.”

“For my money it's, Empire, a New Hope, Rogue One.” Race states.

“I liked Rogue One better than a New Hope.” Jack comments and Race raises an eyebrow.

“Really? I feel like that's kinda blasphemous.”

“Thank You.” Davey nearly shouts, happy someone is finally on his side.

“Someone needed to give Bodhi a hug.” Katherine loved Rogue One but she hated the ending. She just decided to pretend like it never happened. “What about Return of the Jeid and the Ewoks?”

“Nope Nope,” Crutchie shakes his head adamantly. “Creepy little teddy bears are the stuff of nightmares.” Jake chuckles.

Davey talks with his mocha in hand. “What about the Force Awakens? I think it ranks higher than Rogue One and Return.”

“It's just a rehash of a New Hope.” Race scoffs.

“Ooohh those are fighting words!” Katherine bounces in her seat she can see Davey's eyes are already getting wide.

Race snorts. “Ohh ho well we'll see about that but first I'm gonna get something to drink. Anybody need anything?” He looks pointedly at his roommate. “ Crutchie you good?”

“Yeah Race I'm good.”

Race nods, he thinks Crutchie looks genuinely happy, heart eyes and all. “Ok cool.” He squeezes the back of Crutchie's chair and goes to get in line.

Jack gets up from his chair. “I'll be right back.”

Jack follows Race to the line. “I'm real glad you came.”

Race shoves his hands down in his pockets. “Yeah, well it's good to see you Jack and Crutchie was excited to do this so...”

Jack looks back towards the table with a smile and then asks “Can I get your drink?”

Race rolls his eyes. “Are you gonna pull out my chair and blow on my coffee if it's too hot?”

“I'm serious.” Jack is sincere, he's not trying to be condescending or anything, though he could see how it could be taken that way.

“No Cowboy, I got it. I've got a job, I can buy my own coffee. The question is did you buy his coffee?” Race tilts his head and raises his eyebrows in Crutchie's direction.

Jack blinked at Race. “Yessss...”

Race nods approvingly “Good, I'm glad romance isn't dead.”

“I...” Jack swallows surprised. He can feel his cheeks start to warm up. Race rolls his eyes again. It's like they're still in eight grade or something. He could always tell when Jack had it bad for someone, sometimes even before Jack realized it.

“Go sit down Jack.” Race shakes his head, before Jack walks away Race feels compelled to add. “and Jack if you hurt him I'm gonna have to hurt you, and then hand you over to Spot... got it?”

“yeah, yeah Race I got it.” Jack knows it's true. He nods and heads back to the table. He certainly hopes he never does anything to warrant that. He doesn't intend to hurt anyone, he's never intended to hurt anyone.

Race returns with a double Americano with lots of sugar and a little milk, and an m&m cookie. He sits down in the empty chair across from Jack, breaks the cookie in half and gives part of it to Crutchie. Who accepts it with a quite 'thanks.'

“How was work Race?” He asks louder as he chews.

“uuuggh I hate holiday shoppers...”

“I know right.” Jack says exasperatedly.

“Like I'm sorry the store doesn't have some random ass book published 50 years ago in some dude's basement... that's what Amazon and Ebay are for.” Race says dramatically.

Katherine laughs. He's just as much of a ham as Jack remembers.

“Where do you work?” Davey asks.

“Atlantic Hudson Books.”

“I know it. That must be really neat.” It was a good sized bookstore that also had lots of eclectic stuff. It was a good place to kill a couple hours browsing.

“Yeah it's nice when it's not all people frantically shopping for gifts. 'ooohhh I forgot to get Great Uncle Jimmy something do you think he'll like this book about the effects of the Industrial Revolution and Capitalism on American Society in the late nineteenth century? ' 'I don't know lady. Are you trying to bore him to death? Is there an inheritance involved? If I say yes and he croaks will you split the money with me?'” Race mocks a conversation he sort of had with a lady today.

“Wow.” Davey says dryly.

Race chuckles. “Yeah. Are you looking for a job? We had another seasonal quit. My manager Mr. Wiesel is freaking out.”

“Ahhh well that's something to think about...”

Crutchie sits back with his coffee slouching down a bit in his chair so he can straighten his right leg into a more comfortable position. They've been siting for a while now. He should probably get up and stretch so his leg doesn't cramp up. He's just really enjoying the company right now.

“Are you a student?” Katherine asks Race.

“I'm working on my business degree, part time.” the nudges Crutchie with his elbow. “Not all of us can have anonymous benefactors.”

Crutchie rolls his eyes, “I've told you it's a scholarship from the hospital...”

“From an anonymous benefactor.” Race insists, “What kind of hospital gives away money to someone who isn't even a med student.”

Crutchie shrugs. “I don't know, they liked me I guess... I was there long enough.” Crutchie didn't want to question it, didn't want to jinx it.

“You've got a scholarship.” Jack says and Crutchie thinks he hears something like relief in the other boys voice.

“Yeah I really lucked out, It would have been real hard to go to school without it. It covers my tuition.” He actually has another scholarship that covers books and expenses, but he doesn't bring it up, he's found people find it rude.

“That's great, really great.” Jack sighs, he's surprised how happy he is to hear that Crutchie's school is covered.

Jack lets his pencil glide over the paper. He captures Race's slouched posture in one long line. He then builds the frame of the body, lightly adding circles for the head, a rectangle for the chest, and ovals for the arms. He keeps everything loose and light and moves around the drawing fast, adding construction points for reference, little dots and dashes that relate where things line up.

He chances quick glances Race, so he can get the fold of his collar and veins in his arms. Jack isn't as shy about looking at Race and drawing him as he is with Davey and Katherine and... Crutchie. Jack's just falling back into old habits, Race was one of the first people that gave Jack the 'ok' to draw him whenever he wanted to practice drawing people. Jack was once super familiar with drawing Race. He's changed quite a bit over the year, fingers are longer, arms more muscled but his body language his still the same.

Jack's line and eyes drift to Crutchie. He wishes he'd packed colored pencils or markers...something about Crutchie just can't be captured in black and grey. He needs bright colors, warm colors, touches of oranges and yellows. Jack smiles down at the drawing his hand has drawn of the blond haired boy. It's light but it captured his smile just right Jack felt. He decides he doesn't want to risk drawing over it and messing something up. So he leaves it and goes back to add shading to Race.

“So Race, you knew Jack way back when, got any stories?” Davey asks and gets a pointed look from Jack over his sketchbook.

“Oh have I got stories.” Race rubs his hands together ominously.

“Raaace.” Jack says the name with a tone that makes it clear it's a warning.

Race ignores the warning. He sits up and clears his throat and starts as if he's telling some great epic story. “We met in the sixth grade. He was a wild eyed scrawny kid. I was a handsome devil with a taste for trouble. Together we were the terror of Mrs. Jones class...”

Katherine jumps in with a burning question. “Has he always been obsessed with the Mid West?”

Jack indignantly corrects her “Not the Mid West, the Wild West, the West West.”

“We called him Cowboy, like all through seventh and eighth grade.”

“Cowboy?” Katherine giggles.

Jack looks mortified. “Geez, a guy says he likes a John Wayne movie once and it gets him branded for life.”

Crutchie coughs on the coffee he was swallowing and laughs.

Race calls Jack out as he instinctually pats Crutchie on the back and then holds onto his shoulder. “Oh yeah cause you didn't get super into drawing like... deserts and horses and stuff. How many do you have in your sketchbook right now?”

“None.” Jack says quickly.

“Uh hu...” Race cocks his head with a knowing expression.

“Maybe one or two.” Jack mumbles.

“And he paints huge desert landscapes.” Katherine squeaks.

“And other stuff.” Jack defends.

“There's lots of ones of deserts.” Davey points out.

“well maybe.” Jack admits, he just... knows what he likes is all. He does paint other stuff too, he can't help if desert landscapes and things just come out naturally and yeah he does like the West or maybe the idea of the West. He doesn't know. He starts to huff about it when a voice breaks through his mopey thoughts.

“I'd like to see them.” Crutchie says simply.

“What?” Jack turns and holds his sketchbook to his chest, protectively.

“Your paintings, I'd like to see them.” Crutchie smiles at him. Jack has the sudden urge to paint a sunrise in gold.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Spot's showing up next! I think there might be two more Chapters in this and I've started planning another part for the series.


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> any glaring errors let me know.   
> *now Edited

Race was animatedly gesturing and waving his hands around to try and create a picture for everyone as he finishes his story. “And that's why you don't mess with Spot Conlon.”

Davey blinks, he's stuck on one fact after the whole story Race told about his and Crutchie's roommate. “I don't get it, what's so scary, the guys name is Spot.”

“Yeah” Crutchie raises his eye brows and his eyes get dramatically wide. “and you don't wanna find out why.”

Davey looks from the boys he's just met to his best Jack who seems to be in agreement with them. “That's stupid, how bad can one guy be?”

“Spot Conlon: the Terror of Midtown, The Scourge of the Bowery...” Race states.

Crutchie smiles mischievously “...The Blade of Brooklyn.” Jack doesn't know what they're talking about but it makes him wonder what Spot has been up to, and maybe a little worried about it.

“Those are just names, none of that means anything.” Davey doesn't seem to share Jack's concern.

Jack thinks for a second, remembering Spot. “We always found a way to be in trouble or trouble always found us, one time in school, eighth grade I think, we'd... hum Race and me'd been cornered by two popped collared assholes... real rich kid, they said they don't like the way we was looking at their girls. Of course real preppy meat head shit and they's shoving and we're trying to talk our way out of the beating that's coming, cause we didn't do nothing they just wanna pick a fight...”

“Ohh yeah,” Race recalls the incident. “The one asshat was done shoving and he's getting ready to throw a real pile driver of punch right at Jack's baby faced mug and suddenly we hears 'I wouldn't do that if I was yous.' and everything stopped and there's Spot. Standing down the hallway and he's got this look on his face that means business.”

“Like a real scary look and the boy ran off.”

“Yeah we didn't get beat up that day.”

“That can't be it, he did not just give them a look and they left you alone...” Davey can't believe that.

“That's what happens when you've got a reputation like the one Spot's got.”

“I'm starting to think you guys are messing with us, like there is no Spot or something.”

Race throws up his hands "No Spot?!" Before he can tell Davey just how wrong he is both Crutchie and his phones go off. “Ha! Would you look at that, I got a text from Spot, who is in fact not imaginary and very real.”

“You're kidding.” Davey blinks.

Crutchie actually reads the text that Race is waving at the other boy. He looks up and across the room and sees Spot come in, “There's Spot!”

Jack's stomach does a backflip. He's suddenly nervous and it doesn't help that they were just talking about the guy. Goodness that's just like Spot, unbelievable timing.

Katherine looks around, not at all discreetly, to see if she can pick Spot out of the crowd.

“I'll be back.” Crutchie says shifting around in his chair. He grabs his crutches from where they've been leaning on the table and goes to meet the other boy at the door.

Jack starts to get up too but Race catches his eye and shakes his head. “Just relax man, be cool.”

Jack swallows and turns to see if he can see Spot through all the people and gage what his mood is.

                    *******

The back corner where their table is hasn't gotten a lot of traffic but by the door and the counter it's gotten crowded, a lot of people look like they've just left work or maybe they're taking a break from shopping.

Crutchie tries to be mindful of where he puts his crutches as he crosses the shop.

The tables are close together and the people are packed in. He maneuvers around people's shopping bags they've set on the floor and only has to say 'excuse me' to one lady who is totally zoned out at the pick up counter, She has the look on her face that Race gets when there are too many whiney customers. She seems startled to see Crutchie when he asks to get by her. “Sorry, sorry...”

“No problem.” He squeezes by her and can finally see Spot standing in line.

Spot looks up from his phone. “Hey Crutchie, how's it going?”

Crutchie moves to stand with the older boy. “Great, I'm glad you're here.”

“Oh yeah? Is Race behaving himself?”

“So far so good.”

Spot points to the menu. “I'm gonna get something to drink, you want anything?”

“No” Crutchie shakes his head he's been nursing the coffee Jack bought him all afternoon.

Spot moves up a step in line and Crutchie follows. “You don't gotta stand here with me. If you want to get back.” Spot cranes his neck to see where Race and Jack are sitting but can't see them through the crowd.

Crutchie shrugs. “I needed to get up and move around anyway.” Crutchie shakes his bad leg out in front of him, mostly for comic effect.

Spot raises an eyebrow, it's an unspoken question.

Crutchie shifts his crutches. “I'm ok.” He gives a lopsided smile and Spot nods.

“Ok well I've got Advil in the car. Just let me know, Char.”

“Thanks.”

                    ********

Jack keeps looking over his shoulder, he sees Crutchie making his way through a group of people first and then Jack sees Spot. Jack closes his sketchbook and sets down his pencil.

'He's changed,' is the first thought that pops into Jack's head. It's true, Spot's no longer the floppy haired string bean he was when Jack last saw him but one more look tells Jack, Spot's eyes, they're still piercing intense steel they've been.

Jack stands up when Spot gets to the table. Jack's still taller but Spot has a way about him that makes Jack feel like he's twelve again.

Crutchie takes his seat and everyone at the table is quiet, watching the exchange in front of them.

“The man, the myth, the legend...Jack Kelly as I live and breath.” Spot draws looking him up and down. Jack feels like he's under a microscope.

“Spot.” Jack greets simplely.

“So you ain't dead or in living in some covered wagon out in the middle of the desert. That's good.”

“Yeah... real good.” Jack nods seriously.

Neither of the boys is smiling, Katherine isn't sure what's going on. She notices that Crutchie and Race, who have been pretty happy go lucky so far, look rather serious now.

Davey breaks the odd tension at the table. “Why would he be living in a covered wagon? Cowboys didn't historically travel by covered wagon. I mean, if you're making a reference to him liking the west cause settlers crossed in covered wagons than ok. But if you're making a reference to him being a cowboy that doesn't make any sense.”

Spot looks down the table quizzically and points with what has to be the biggest vanilla raspberry frap Katherine has ever seen, at Davey. “Who's the nerd?”

Davey roles his eyes with a sigh.

“That's Davey and this is Katherine.” Jack introduces his friends, who he is so glad came with him for this, he's gonna have to thank them profusely later.

“Right.” Spot nods at each of them. “Pleasure.” He says with a look that Katherine might describe as skeptical. He looks at Jack once more and then moves around the table.

Instead of sitting in the empty chair between Race and Davey Spot grabs an unused chair from the table next to them slides it up to the corner of the table between Crutchie and Race, and turns it around so he can sit in it backwards.

He drapes his arm over the back of Crutchie's chair and looks pointedly at Jack who's taking his seat again.

Jack knows this is Spot sizing him up, seeing where he stands. Jack knows that Spot doesn't trust easy and that he's just trying to protect himself and his boys. It's just... Jack used to be one of his boys and it hurts being on the outside and looking in. He fidgets with the cup in front of him.

“So Jack, out of the Refuge, all grown up, have you made something of yourself?”

Jack looks the other boy in the eye. “Trying Spot. You?”

“Yeah like you said 'trying'” Spot takes a long sip of his drink. When he speaks again his expression and his tone have softened but still coming from Spot the words seem formal. “I appreciate you helping our boy Crutchie the other day.”

“Yeah Spot.” Jack shakes his head. “That was no problem.”

“That was real decent of you.”

“I'm happy I could help.” Jack says sincerely. 

“I'm real glad it was you. It's good... good to see you man.” A slow smile spreads across Spot's face and he looks at Jack once more, more like how he looked at him years ago.

It's like Jack cam breath again. “Right good.” He relaxes slighly.

Katherine isn't sure what's happened but she knows something has. Her page fills up with little notes.

Race  
-Real name: Unknown  
-Cocky  
-Flirt, bi? Pan?  
-Shares with C... Sweet??  
-False Bravado  
-Smart ass  
-Knows more than Jack would like

Spot  
-Real name: Unknown  
-Intense  
-Non Conforming  
-Protective  
-Relationship with other two? Best friends? brothers? Boy Friends?

The conversation has quieted and Katherine jumps in. “Are you a student too Spot?”

“No, I did my studying.” Spot says proudly.

“Yeah, school a hard knocks.” Race snarks.

Crutchie chuckles.“First period skull bustin', knuckle sandwiches for lunch... ”

“Out running the bulls for PE.” Race says proudly.

Spot jumps in “...bandaging open wounds and tying off stitches for Home Ec.” The three boys laugh together, Davey looks a bit green.

Katherine chuckles politely, Jack can't manage that, he knows as far as jokes go it's all a little too true, a little to close to home for him and the fellas.

Crutchie sees Jack's expression turn serious again. He worries that they might have upset him so he thinks maybe a change in conversation would help. He leans over and says in a stage whisper. “So... Spot's never seen a Marvel movie.”

“Still...” Jack, smiles at Crutchie thankful for the distraction, he shakes his head in disbelief and chuckles.

Davey can't believe what he's just heard. “Whhaaatt?”

Spot sits up. “Hey, I'm a loyal DC fan.”

“Hows that going for you?” Jack asks.

“Wonder Woman was good.” Crutchie offers.

Davey still can't believe it. “Iron Man, Guardians, Winter Soldier... Winter Soldier!! How can you not have seen the Winter Soldier?” It was in Davey's top ten fav movies of all time.

“What about the netflix series Daredevil and Luke Cage, Jessica Jones?” Katherine asks.

Spot shakes his head. Jack really liked Daredevil and thinks everyone should watch at least season one of that. “They're doing the Punisher you'd probably like the Punisher...”

“If it's not DC I'm not watching it.” Spot states and takes a sip from his long straw like he isn't shaking the foundations of Davey's world.

“You're missing out on soooo much.”

“Yeah, We's told him but he's been real stubborn about it.” Race puts his hands up in defeat.

“I just knows what I like.”

“Remember that time he started packing up and was threatening to ask to move rooms cause we wouldn't stop reading Thor comics out loud.” Race asks Jack.

Spot glares at them Jack chuckles and opens his sketchbook again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope that worked, uuugh so many characters all thinking and feeling stuff omg, they all need to just sit there quietly, look cute and be happy. 
> 
> I've got some tie in artwork up on tumblr @mj-irl check tag #blackcoffee and on insta @mjfitzarrow 
> 
> Thanks for reading! Comments are soo welcome please and thank you!


	9. Chapter 9

After movies they've all recently seen and movies they're excited to see, the conversation turns to weird things they've seen in the city.  It's New York City so they've all seen their fair share off odd characters.  

Spot recalls an incident that happened to him. “I got caught in a convention of Hare Krishnas once, you know the religious guys who wear the orange and red robes, One day I'm walking to work and they're everywhere.  It was like a parade or somethin', I tried to get through and instead got caught.  I had to follow along for like four blocks out of my way before I made it to the other sidewalk.” Spot remembers the day it was Bering swept up in a river, it was something he'd never seen the like of before or since.  

Jack talks about the group of tourists he saw only interested in taking pictures of doors, just all the doors.  "But could one of 'em hold the door open for me as I was moving this seven by four canvas out of the building, no of course not."  

“I saw Pizza Rat. I was there. I saw it.” Race insists. 

Crutchie roles his eyes, he's heard the story a million times. “Yeah sure ya did.”  

Race huffs and finishes his coffee, tipping the cup all the way back to get all of it.  

Katherine looks up from her notebook and asks everyone.  “Did you ever see the Cookie Monster that hangs out at time square, the one with the weird bottle cap eyes.”

“Oh yeah." Crutchie isn't a fan of people in those character costumes where their heads are covered anyway but whoever put that cookie monster together must have been a sadist because it's just not right.  "He's so creepy.” 

“Yeah he is and I saw him in Central Park once and he like wasn't on the path!  He was like lurking behind a tree and it was so weird and I was super freaked out.  I practically ran back home and didn't look behind me until the doorman shut the door.”

"You's got a doorman?"  Crutchie's eyes get big.

Katherine's cheeks get pink, she doesn't usually Bring up the fact that she comes from money and grew up well off.  "Hum yes, at my family's place off of Park Anvenue."

The three boys who don't know her, sit with there silent looking at one another and then Jack and back at Katherine. They're not sure what to say until Race gulps and manages. "Well ain't you hoity-toity."  

Katherine can't deny it.  "I suppose I am.  That's how I grew up anyway.  Honestly I've been trying to leave that behind me for something a little more down to Earth."  

Spot's not sure how he feels about that. He's not sure that's something that a person can change. He's been around people who were Rich, he can't avoid them in the restaurant business. He's seen their persistent 'rich' attitude. Snoody people who always seemed to think they are better than everyone else. "Can you just stop being rich?" 

"I'm sure it washes right off." Race nudges Spot with his elbow. 

Davey raises an eyebrow crucially. 

Jack jumps in hoping to take the scrutiny off of Katherine.  “Davey saw ladies protesting without tops on.”

“No way.” Race doesn't believe that. 

“No really.” Jack insists. 

Davey groans "it wasn't as fun as you'd think." 

"Yeah his sister was one of the protesters." 

Davey throws a balled up napkin at Jack's head.  Jack picks it up and throws it back at Davey. 

Crutchie decides it's his turn to share. "I saw Batman once at the hospital when I was a kid." Jack's attention turns quickly from Davey to Crutchie and everyone listens. "I turned a corner and there he was, we nearly collided.”

Race looks skeptical. “aahhh you do know that wasn't Batman right? Like it was just some fella in a costume." 

Crutchie blinks "Yeah... No... I know that.” He looks insulted. “No it was Christian Bale.”

Spot sits up and looks at the kid seriously. “You never told us you met Christian Bale!”

“I didn't," Crutchie shakes his head. "I nearly got run over by Christian Bale and he said 'Excuse me' and kept walking. Did you know he's English.”

“Welsh.” Davey corrects.

Race isn't sure. "I don't know...That sounds awfully polite for someone with his reputation.”

“It was him, he was visiting some kid who was dying or something, like for the 'Make a Wish Foundation' I guess.”  

"That's really cool." Jack says. "I can't think of any celebrities I seen just out and around." Crutchie nods bashfully. 

“So..." Katherine speaks up. "talking about running into someone, Crutchie, what was it like when you realized you and Jack had so much in common?” She leans forward in her seat. 

“You mean when I realized I was talking to the famous Jack Kelly?” Crutchie says with the excited run on his face he's had nearly every time he's talked about Jack to Race and Spot. 

“Famous?” Katherine questions.

Davey looks at Jack quizzically. "You're famous? For what?”

“no...nothing” Jack groans now. 

“oh Jack, do your friends not know about you and your exploits?” Spot says slyly. 

“Exploits, what exploits?” Katherine asks eagerly. 

“He made a name for himself with the kids in the System. They still tell the stories now.” Spot explains. 

“What kind of stories?” Davey asks before Katherine can. 

Jack sits back, he knows protesting would be futile, Crutchie gives him an apologetic look. 

Race is ready to tell tales. “The time Jack convinced a Metz pitcher who was visiting the middle school to visit the Lodging house and see all the kids. Oh, The fact that any chance he got he would sleep on the roof and the management never could lock up the building tight enough to keep him from getting out.  Jack always managed to get candy for the younger kids at Halloween.”

Katherine looks at Jack to ask how, and he shakes his head. "I didn't steal it, I was real good at looking sad and convincing the teachers at school and the ladies at the community center to help out."  

Crutchie sits up in his chair and leans over to Spot. “We was talking about lunches earlier... those brown bag, cold cheese sandwich lunches.” Spot nods recalling the story Crutchie is prompting.  

“Oh yeah... Jack here said 'no' to the cold cheese sandwich lunches the kids in the System were given at school.”

Jack sighs. "It set kids apart, made them look poor. The other kids could get chocolate milk and a cookie with their hot lunch, the orphans and foster kids got a cold cheese sandwich an apple and white milk every day. Every day...The school said that was all the state would pay for. It was embarrassing.”

“It sucked!” Race adds and Spot and Crutchie agree. 

“We wanted the same stuff that everyone else got.”  Crutchie nods his head, he was familiar with the feeling. 

“SO Jack took a whole crate of chocolate milk from the cafeteria kitchen and gave it out to the bag lunch kids.” Spot tells Katherine and Davey. 

“A regular Robin Hood.” Race chuckles

“Hey I was nine. It was third grade. I was just doing what I thought was fair.”

“Third grade?” Katherine says shocked that he was so young. 

“Yeah well it didn't change nothing we still got cold cheese sandwiches when I got out of the Refuge the first time." 

“The first time?” She knew he was in the Refuge, a correctional facility for kids in high school but she didn't know he'd been before and she'd never heard why he'd been sent there. 

“Yeah I went to the Refuge when I was nine, I got six months when I got out my father got custody back, he died a year later and I went back to the Lodge.”

“what happened the second time?" Davey asks.

"What?" Jack asks like he really didn't expect the obvious question. 

“Why did you go to the refuge the second time?”

“I got in trouble that's all.”

“Jack always had a soft spot for the little guy.” Spot says.

“Yeah to a fault.” Race pushes back from the table. “Excuse me I need to get some air.”

“Race?” Crutchie sees an expression on Race's face that concerns him.  He starts to grab his crutches.  

Spot shakes his head and looks at Jack.  

Jack takes the hint. “I'm... I'm gonna go talk to him.”   

“That's all you, Cowboy.” Spot says seriously. 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> a little drama never hurt anyone. Thank you for reading!!! <3


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the block text, Spot has a long story to tell

“Is everything alright?” Katherine asks as Jack grabs his coat and leaves after Race. She and Davey look unsure about the whole situation  

“They've needed to talk about this for a long time.” Spot says cryptically, Davey's perplexed look deepens. 

Crutchie looks at Spot, he is as in the dark as Katherine and Davey are.  

Spot sits forward and goes into detail mostly for Crutchie's benefit.  "Race has always blamed himself for Jack being sent to the Refuge the second time."

"What? Why?" Crutchie's heard the story but he didn't know Race felt like that. 

Spot shrugs. "Jack got in trouble helping Race and some of the other kids." 

Katherine frowns. "He was trying to help?" 

Spot continues.  “We weren't allowed to stay after school.  See the Lodging House had one bus and mostly one guy really, Mr. Kloppman to run the place and drive that bus and look after all of us. We all had to be on the bus right after the end of the day bell... so no sports, no clubs, nothing. We could go back to the Lodging House and have clubs there, and we got to go to the community center on weekends, but for some of the boys it wasn't the same. It wasn't fair." Spot takes a slow drink and thinks about how to explain the next part. 

"So Race and a couple of the other boys, hum Albert and Specs I think, really wanted to try out for the school Baseball team. They really wanted to play. They and other kids have asked in the past and the answer has always been no. So Jack comes up with a plan so's they could make try outs.  The whole lot of us agreed to distract Kloppman so the bus doesn't leave the school till the tryouts were over.  We figured if the the guys make the team, than maybe the rules'll be changed." 

"So we tried everything we could think of.  Jo-Jo says he left his homework in his locker and goes go to get it.  Henry say he's got to use the bathroom one more time before we leave.  Jack tells Kloppman the other boys is on their way but they's held up with a teacher and then he tries to distract the old man with telling him some BS story about a lab rat loose running through the school or something." 

"It was pretty futile but Jack was leading a good fight.  When Kloppman is past ready to go Jack offers to go get the other boys, no doubt he's gonna take his time doing it. Before Jack can go Kloppman decided he's gonna see if he can find the missing boys himself."

"Now it was a cold day in February and Kloppman leaves the bus running so there's heat. When he gets about five steps way from the bus, Jack tells us all to get off the bus in a hurry. I don't know where or when he learned to drive but he moved it.  Kloppman turns around and he's shouting and running after Jack and the bus.”  Spot remembers it vividly.  Kloppman was pissed.  “Jack moved it about two blocks and parked it. That was what they threw the book at him for." 

"Kloppman musta been real mad but I can't believe he sent Jack to the Refuge for that." Crutchie knows Kloppman and knows that he thinks the Refuge is a vile place and that none of the Lodging house kids should go there. He's said so in the past. 

Spot shakes his head "We all caught hell for the stunt.  But Kloppman and the other folks at the Lodging House they knew us, and Jack, they knew it was a dumb thing he did but he wasn't trying to hurt anyone.  Jack always had a problem with authority but he wasn't malicious. No, what happened was someone, probably the warden at the Refuge, Snyder, wanted Jack put away.  Put away for taking an old empty bus two blocks.  Man, they had it out for him.  Jack was accused of stealing it and they sent him to the Refuge and we never saw him again, till now and Race has blamed himself.” 

"That's awful." Katherine says sincerely. "It was a stupid thing to do but it was little more than a stupid teenage prank. He didn't deserve that." 

Davey looks appalled. "He was thrown in jail for nothing."  

 

********

Jack throws his coat on.  It's too cold to be outside in Jack's opinion, but he grits his teeth and bears it. Race doesn't seem to be too phased by the temperature as he leans against the corner of the building. His hands fidgeting with a lighter.  

Jack slides passed people trying to get into Jacobi's and over to stand next to Race. “You ok?”

“Yeah fine..." Race says quietly, he glances at Jack and then shakes his head. Jack can clearly see he's not fine. "sorry, I'm sorry. I know this isn't the time for this and I'm sorry.  I thought I was fine.  It's been years.  I should just be happy you're here and you're ok but I can't help but be serious for a minute. It's just the memories got to me ya know.”  The cigar is out of Races pocket know. He looks at it morosely.  

 “Race?"  Jack says.  He's not real happy to see that the kid is smoking now.  It's not like he's his parent or anything but he is kinda disappointed and it comes through in his tone.    

Race sounds tired when he answers. “Look, I'm not doing hard drugs, I'm not even drinking and this is better than spending all my money on cards or some shit.  I..." Race shakes his head. "I took it hard Jack."

"What?  What are you talking about? Took what hard?"

"Geez, what are you thick?  You... You going to the Refuge.  It was bad Jack."  Race's voice cracks and Jack's eyes get wide, he can't believe what he's hearing. 

He dares to take his hand out of his pocket and brave the cold to put a hand on Race's shoulder.  “What happened was serious and I never meant for it to go down like that.”

“No one did, who knew they'd come down like that over something so ridiculous.” Race sighs. 

“They wanted an example made, they couldn't just let me go quietly. Snyder wanted me." Jack cringes at the thought of the man. Race winces sympathetically.

He looks Jack in the eye.  “You did it for us. We were all stupid kids, with stupid ideas and we got you put away and you were gone.” Race shakes his head. "It killed me man.  After what happened, I found a guy who would sell me pot and then another who'd get me beer. I just wanted to stop the guilt.”  

“Why?" Jack asks, not wanting to believe what he's hearing. He can feel new guilt weighing on his shoulders. Jack wants to shake Race.  To tell him he shouldn't have done that.  That he shouldn't have been upset.  That Jack wasn't that important.  

“I know what it was like, in the Refuge and there was nothing I could do to get you out. I had to cope some how.  Come on Jack, You know I've always been the type, it's in my dang DNA." Race kicks at the sidewalk.  "It got bad. I was on the path to the hard stuff after you got sent away.”

Jack is dumbfounded.  He can't believe anyone would have been that upset about him. “I'm glad you got yourself turned around.”

Race's voice sounds watery when he speaks again. “Spot, man, he always held me up to a higher standard than I did myself. Really kicked my butt back in gear, like you...like you used to. Then Crutchie came to the Lodge..." Race remembers the day the kid showed up like it was yesterday.   "and he needed lots of help when he first got there.” 

“Cause a his bum leg?” Jack guesses thinking about the old building and all the stairs in it. 

“Nah, he had that pretty much figured out even back then.” Race smiles but it quickly fades. “No, when he got to the Lodge he was one of those kids, you've seen the type, they's in a constant state of fight or flight. He was super wary of everyone. Watched everything but didn't talk to anyone.” It's been a long time but Race can still remember the tense expression on the kid's face when someone moved too quick or got too close.  And the white knuckled grip he'd keep on his crutches.  

“He needed time and some understanding. For some reason he decided I was going to be one of the guys to give it to him. Honestly between Crutchie and Spot, and don't tell them I said this but, they probably saved my life.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh man one more chapter that's it, it can't be drawn out any longer. Next story in the series to follow... Hot Chocolate and Home Comings


	11. Chapter 11

“God, Race”  Jack starts. “I'm...”  He want's to say he's sorry he wasn't there for him but he can't find the right words. None of them sound sincere enough.  

“Yeah no, I'm sorry Jack. I never meant for you to get in trouble like that. It was messed up Jack it was all messed up.” Race's jaw clenches.  

"Yeah... It was," Jack grips the other boys shoulder tight. "it was all messed up.  But it's ok.  It's worked out."  

"Ha" . Race breaths out, sounding skeptical as he looks back at Jack.  He wants it to be true.   

Jack insists. "Really, You're alright and I'm alright and we made it through. Through the Refuge and all the BS.  We've got friends... family.  Right."  Race nods.  "and now that we's found each other you've got me."

Race smiles at that, not big, but one with understanding.  "I've missed you."  Race puts the cigar and the lighter away and claps Jack on the back.

"I've missed you too."  Jack smiles truly at his friend. "Now can we go in? I'm freezing out here."  

Race laughs at him but agrees.

********

Crutchie listens to Davey go on about the inefficient legal system and it's biases.  And how Jack should look into getting a lawyer to review his case for cruel and unusual punishment. 

Crutchie knows it doesn't change the fact that Jack was railroaded but he knows Jack getting in trouble wasn't all for nothing like Katherine and Davey are suggesting. 

He speaks up when Davey stops to take a drink. “The rules was changed after that.  Because of what Jack and the other's did in high school I got to join the yearbook committee and the school newspaper.” He couldn't have done that if the incident with the bus hadn't brought attention to the situation.  

Spot smiles proudly. “My boy broke the story about a group of teachers selling fake Adderall to students.”

"Really?"  Katherine asks sounding a bit shocked.  She's never broken a big serious news story before she is both impressed and a wee bit jealous.  

"Yeah, it was a lot of hum... legwork. It started as an article for the school paper about how to best use Adderall and turned into a story about students abusing the drug and then I wound up exposing the whole mess to the administration.  It was really wild, but exciting.  After that I knew I wanted to study journalism in college."  Crutchie explains.  

"I remember that being on the news.” Davey says surprised. He definitely remembers hearing his parents talk about it, it was a big deal.  

Katherine looks at Crutchie perplexed. “If you did something like that in high school why would you let my father get into your head and make you think you couldn't be be an investigative Journalist?”  

Crutchie deflates a little and pulls at the scarf around his neck. His eyes drift away from hers. “It was...hum kind of drilled into me growing up that authority figures have all the... well, authority.” Crutchie shrugs and looks back up at Katherine who has a serious expression on her face. Crutchie tries to lighten the mood. “Nuns ya know.”

“Really? Like nuns with rulers like in the Blues Brothers?” Davey asks.  

Crutchie rubs subconsciously at his ear, the ear that got smacked more than once. “Yeah rulers.” there's a bitter note in his voice. 

Spot leans on the back of his chair. “Man I'm glad nobody ever sent me to live with no nuns.”

“It wasn't always bad.” Crutchie concedes.  "Some of the nuns were ok."

"Whatever you say kid." Spot shakes his head.  He remembers Crutchie when the kid first got to Lodging House.  Spot can only assume that it was the nuns that made the kid as skittish as he was.  

Katherine starts telling a story about a ballet teacher she'd had who she had told off when the woman had grabbed her leg and yanked it into position.

Spot kind of tunes the story out as he watches the front door for signs of Race and Jack.   He can just see past the people in line when they come back in.  They are walking close together which Spot takes as a good sign.  

As they rejoin the others Spot asks the two of them.  "You square?"  

"Yeah, Spot we're square."  Race tells him and Jack agrees as he rubs his cold hands together and tries to warm them up.  

"Good."  Spot says simply. 

Crutchie looks back and forth between Jack and Race.  He's looking to see if everything really is alright.  Race smiles at him reassuringly.  

Before Jack and Race can sit back down.  A man in an apron, who Jack recognizes as the owner, comes over to the table.  He has a damp rag for cleaning tables in his hand, He looks frazzled, probably because of all the people coming in this afternoon.  "You kids, you kids've been here all afternoon.  You should order something else or let some other customers use the table." 

Jack rolls his eyes.  It's not the first time Jacobi has kicked him out.  

Race huffs indignantly.   "You wouldn't be shooing us out if we was wearing Gucci and carry Louis Vuitton bags, would you."  Race gestures in the direction of some of the customers who've come in who definitely look like they made a wrong turn off of Fifth Avenue.  

"Look I got customers coming in, why don't you go enjoy the snow or something?  I would've loved to be out in the snow at your age. You kids should go play outside." 

"Play outside? Play outside he says"  Race looks at the others at the table.  "Do I look ten to you?"  

Jacobi holds his hands up with a groan,  shakes his head and walks away.  

Race keeps talking "Whatever happened to customer loyalty, to locals looking after there own uhhh?"   

"It's alright, Race." Jack says. "We can go."  Jack doesn't really want to go.  He'd stay right here with all his friends the rest of the night and be very happy, if he could. 

"We've been here awhile now anyway."  Crutchie leans in his chair as he sticks his phone in his pocket.

"You sure Crutch?"  Race asks. 

"Yeah." Crutchie sounds slightly disappointed but he keeps packing up.  "It was good hanging out with you guys." He says to Katherine and  Davey... and Jack.

"It was very nice to meet you all.  We should do this again sometime." Katherine suggests.  

"Yeah, Maybe someplace else..." Race says a little louder than he needs to. 

"Ahhh... you know you love it here," Crutchie pushes Race's side. "even if Jacobi can be cranky, the coffee sure is good."  the blond boy smiles.  

Race shrugs.  "You done with this?"  He asks about Crutchie's cup.

"Yeah, thanks."

Race takes the cup with his own to the trash.  Crutchie takes his coat off his chair and twists in his seat to pull it on and button it up.

Katherine sees what Jack was talking about when he said the jacket was patched. 

Everyone gathers their stuff and bundles in their coats and scarves.

"It was good to see you Jack."  Spot scribbles his and Race's phone numbers on a napkin.  He hands Crutchie back his pen, walks around the table and sticks it in Jack's sketchbook very deliberately.  "Don't be a stranger Kelly." 

"No way."  Jack starts to raise his hand but pauses a second and then decides to do what he was thinking about doing.  He spits in his palm and holds it out to Spot.  Spot does the same and they shake. It's an agreement, a promise.  Jack intends to honor it.  

“That's disgusting.” Davey says thoroughly grossed out. "You know people are trying to eat here." 

"and that's their problem."  Jack says over his shoulder.  Crutchie and Race chuckle as Davey grimaces.  

Crutchie grabs his crutches and hops up from his chair on his good leg to join everyone else standing around the table now.  Race and Spot wait for him as he says goodbye.

"Thanks for inviting me Jack."  

"Yeah, of course.  I'm glad you could come... hang out."  Jack starts to hold out his hand again to shake Crutchie's hand but awkwardly realizes his hands are now full with his sketchbook and his phone and Crutchie's hands are holding his crutches.  So his stands stiffly. 

"See ya."  Crutchie says, his mouth pulled into a tight lopsided smile.  

"Yeah."  Jack agrees.  

Crutchie nods and backs up with his crutches, moving around the tight space before turning to follows the guys out.  Jack waves after them before turning back to Katherine and Davey and looking absolutely flustered and overwhelmed and exasperated with himself. 

Davey steps up beside him and pats him on the shoulder.  "You're good.  You did fine... Cowboy."

"Oh haha... don't you start."  Jack rolls his eyes and looks miserable.

"What's the matter Jack?'' Katherine asks as the three of them start to head out. 

"All I could say was 'Yeah'... Yeah... I couldn't come up with anything better. Crutchie's looken' at me with those eyes and did you see that smile?  How stinking sweet was that smile and all I can say is 'yeah.' He's probably out there now telling the guys what a doofus I am..." 

"Jack, you know that's not the case.  He was just as shy as you were.  The two of you sure are a pair, oh my goodness."  Katherine shakes her head, it looks like it might take some intervention to get these two together. 

Davey leads the way back to Jack's car.  The three of them pile in and turn the heat up.  "Any plans for dinner?"  Davey asks, wondering where they're headed next.  

"We could go to my place."  Jack says and pulls his phone out to text Medda and see what she's doing.  As he types his phone vibrates in his hand surprising him.  

"who's that?"  Katherine asks from the backseat, leaning forward to see.  Jack doesn't tell her but the big smile on his face says it all.  

the text message on his screen reads C: IOU coffee

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading. How was that? Just a little more fluff and a little more angst. I love working with these characters. I hope you've enjoyed it as much as I've enjoyed writing it. I'm excited for the next part. If there's something you're interested in seeing I don't know what I'll be able to work in but I am open to suggestions. I need more Race, Crutchie, Spot time... and some Just Jack and Crutchie omg I have plans. 
> 
> The first chapter of the next part is up! ~Mj

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! Totally Make sure you say 'Hi'


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